Have you ever felt like your skin has changed and got drier than usual?
When the season changes and the temperature gets down, the condition of your skin would naturally change.
To make your skin balanced, it is essential to protect your skin from dryness.
But what exactly should we do to get smooth, balanced, and beautiful skin?
Today, we will discuss the causes of dry skin, how the skin protects itself from dryness, and the important microbiome and ingredients to avoid dryness.
Contents
Causes of dry skin
If you have sensitive skin, a slight dryness may cause itching and pain. Our skin is always affected by physical conditions and the environment. Though, what are the exact causes of dry skin?
Here, we introduce some of the most common causes of dry skin.
Heating and cooling
Heating is indispensable during the cold season, but it also lowers the humidity in the air, causing dryness. Make our skin cracked and deprive it of moisture.
Ultraviolet rays
Ultraviolet rays have a significant impact on the skin. It can cause not only dryness but also spots and wrinkles. Especially, the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin, is the most vulnerable to UV damage, so as always, sunscreen and other care are essential.
Excessive Skincare
Excessive skincare can also cause dryness by removing even “good bacteria.” Washing with facewash many times or rubbing with towels can negatively impact the skin’s microbiome.
As you can see, many factors in our lives can affect our skin and make it dry, such as air conditioning and UV rays.
But in fact, the skin has an inherent barrier function that protects itself from dryness. The cause of the skin trouble may also lie in the fact that that barrier function is compromised.
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Skin's "barrier function" to protect itself from dryness
The skin has various functions such as temperature regulation and sensory organs, but the one most related to dryness is its "barrier function".
The barrier function plays a principal role in maintaining moisture and protecting our skin. For example, it protects the skin moisture and prevents recent invasions from the outside.
However, the barrier function can be disturbed by dry air, heating, or scratching the skin due to itching.
When this function is destroyed, skin problems occur, such as rough texture and dry skin.
If it gets worse, the pain and itchiness will cause you to scratch it, and it will destroy the barrier function again and so on ... well, this loop doesn't sound so nice, right?
It is essential to make small changes in your daily routine to protect your barrier function from this loop.
For example, avoid washing your face too much, and wear sunscreen to protect against ultraviolet rays. Just a little goes a long way in maintaining the barrier function and the moisture/oil balance of the skin.
Cutibacterium acnes, the savior of dry skin
To avoid dryness, Cutibacterium acnes may play a leading role. Many people abhor Cutibacterium acnes because they cause acne, but in fact, they have been shown that they produce glycerin, an excellent moisturizer, and enhance the skin's barrier function.
Although Cutibacterium acnes often cause acne due to inflammation, they usually act as a "good bacteria", moisturizing the skin and protecting it from irritation and dryness.
Therefore, if the balance of the skin’s microbiome is well maintained, it will not cause any skin trouble.
On the contrary, most people in their 30s lack Cutibacterium acnes and this causes their skin to dry.
Although Cutibacterium acnes are thought to be the worst enemy of acne, they are the essential microbiome for us to maintain the balance of oil and moisture of our skin.
Cosmetic ingredients that increase Cutibacterium acnes
Even the number of Cutibacterium acnes decreases with age, but we can increase it by skincare.
Among all the cosmetics, the ones containing glycerin and high oleic acid oil are highly recommended because they increase the number of Cutibacterium acnes.
Glycerin
Glycerin has excellent hygroscopicity and increases the moisture of the skin. It is widely used in skin lotions and creams as it retains moisture in the stratum corneum and moisturizes the skin.
High Oleic Acid Oil
Oleic acid is similar to "sebum" and is known as a skin penetration enhancer.
It is effective in preventing cell aging, bringing about anti-aging effects. And also prevent skin from drying out.
Oils with a high percentage of oleic acid may not be for acne-prone skin but are a powerful ally for dry skin. Argan oil, in particular, has a good percentage of oleic acid, which improves the skin's barrier function, reduces wrinkles and blemishes, and normalizes skin turnover.
The use of ingredients such as glycerin and oil can increase the number of Cutibacterium acnes and protect against dryness. If you suffer from dry skin, check to see if your cosmetics contain these ingredients properly.
Dryness is a common problem for many people. Surprisingly, the causes may be a lack of Cutibacterium acnes, which we usually try to get rid of as much as possible, or a lowered barrier function.
It is possible to protect your skin from dryness and make it more beautiful by balancing Cutibacterium acnes rather than eliminating them all from your skin.
Try microbiome skincare to get the skin never dries up.
